Game apparatus.



No. 803,520. PATENTED OCT. 31, 1905. J. W. ARNEY.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED oo'r. 20,1903.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 31, 1905.

Application filed October 20,1903. Serial No. 177.769.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN WILLIAM ARNEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Greenbay, in the county of Brown and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification..

My invention is an improvement in games and game apparatus, the object being a new and novel form of game-board by which an amusing and instructive game of skill may be played.

My invention consists in the novel features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter described, particularly pointed out in the claims, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in wliich- Figure l is a perspective view of my game apparatus, illustrating the manner of playing the game. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the game-board, the course of the projectile being shown on the board by broken lines and arrows. Fig. 8 is a top plan of a portion of the board, one of the angles being shown in section. Fig. 4 is a section through the pneumatic tube, showing the fold in the outer covering. Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the board at one of the angles, showing the tube in position and an elastic band in advance of it.

In carrying out my invention I employ a board A, which may be of any size desired and sup orted in any preferred manner and preferab y pentagonal in shape, although it will be understood that it may be made any polygonal shape desired. The board has a central representation, as shown at A, and at each corner or angle circlesor other marks are imprinted on the board and indicate starting-points. The board is surrounded by a wall B of any height or thickness that may be found desirable. I prefer to make this wall in upper and lower sections, as is clearly shown in Fig. 5, and it is obvious that the wall may be formed in longitudinal sections. Intermediate the angles sockets B2 are foimed in the upper face of the wall adapted to receive tally or score pins. The inner face of the wall is longitudinally grooved, as shown at B3, the longitudinal center of the groove extending along the line of separation of the lower and upper sections of which the wall is composed. A flexible pneumatic tube extends entirely around the inner face of the wall, the tube resting in the groove B3. This tube C is preferably formed with an outer covering C', and on one side of the tube this covering is drawn outward and folded on itself, as shown at C2 in Fig. 4. This fold rests on the top of the lower section of the wall B, and the upper section is fastened down over it, being held in place by suitable screws, and the fold is thus firmly clamped between the two sections and the tube held in position. This may be either continuous or formed in sections, as at C3 in Fig. 3. Valves C of any preferred construction may be employed to inflate the tube. With a large board and balls the pneumatic cushion only will be found satisfactory; but when a small board and balls are used the sensitiveness of the cushion is greatly increased by stretching an elastic band D in front of the pneumatic cushion C. This band is held at the corners by a strap D, arranged vertically and secured by cords or-elastics to hooks carried by the wall B, as shown at D2. The straps D may also be elastic, so that should they be struck by a ball the proper` recoil will be given. To further perfect the action of the pneumatic cushion, I place longitudinally within its wall on the face of the tube fronting the center of the board under cover C a 'line spring (lr-such, for example, as is used in watches.

In order to project the balls, I employ a projector of wood or metal, as shown at J, the same being longitudinally grooved or curved and also curved outwardly at its lower end, as shown at J The game is played as follows: The board shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is adapted to be used by from two to five players, each being provided with a projector and a ball, or one proj ector and ball may be used and the players take turns in using them. Each player is assigned an angle of the board to play from, and the curved lower end of the projector is placed upon the circle or representation A2 in front of the person playing. A ball K, which we will assume is black, is placed on the representation Al in the center of the board. Assuming that the ball K/ used by the player is white, the white ball will be rolled down thc projector and discharged from its lower end upon the board. The ballwill not be directed against the black ball, but against the cushion or elastic band and, on striking same will bc deiiected to an opposite side of the board, where it will thesecond time impiiige the cushion, and if the play is properly made will be this time deiiected so as to strike the ICO IOS

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black ball, forcing same from the center A. This will make one tally, and the player will mark same by means of his tally-pins. The black ball will be permitted to remain where it came to rest but the white ball will be played a second time by the player in the same manner as at first and from the same starting-point, the object being to cause the white ball to strike the black ball in its new position on the second deflection of the white ball. A player will continue to play as long as he tallies; but on failing to score the next player will take his turn, the black ball being again placed on the center piece AC It will be obvious that modifications may be made in the rules for playing the game as may be agreeable to the players without in any way affecting the general principle of the game.

It may be added that while the elastic band is extremely sensitive and well adapted for use in small boards with light balls it is not as accurate and reliable in the deflection of a larger or heavier ball as the pneumatic cushion, for the reason that when the elastic band is impinged with considerable force it causes the ball to jump. By combining the band and cushion in medium-sized boards the best results are obtained, as the band gives sensitiveness and greatly aids the second rebound of the ball, while the pneumatic cushion back of the elastic checks the tendency of the ball to jump on the first deflection. For very large tables the elastic bands may be omitted, as heavy balls, comparatively speaking, will be used and the sectional pneumatic cushion and spring G used.

It is obvious that many minor changes of construction can be made without in any Way departing from the general spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with a game-board, an angled wall arranged on said board, a continuous, inflatable tube arranged along the inner face of said wall, and a strap arranged vertically in advance of the tube opposite the angles of the wall and connected to the wall at the said angles.

2. The combination with a game-board, of an angled wall carried by said board, said wall being formed in upper and lower sections, a continuous pneumatic tube arranged parallel to the inner face of the wall, a fabric incasing said tube, said fabric being folded upon itself adjacent the inner side of the tube said folded portion being held between the upper and lower sections of the walls, and straps arranged at the angles of the wall and connected to the wall and adapted to bear on the outer face of the pneumatic tube.

3. A device of the kind described comprising a wall formed in upper and lower sections and grooved on its inner face, a pneumatic cushion partially held in said groove, a covering around the cushion, said covering being folded upon itself and adapted to be held between the upper and lower sections of the wall, hooks secured at intervals to the wall, straps arranged vertically in advance of the cushion and cords connecting the ends of the straps to the hooks, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. A game-board of the kind described comprising a base portion, a pneumatic tube surrounding the center of said base, said tube being angled, an elastic band encircling the central portion and inside of said base, said band being arranged adjacent the tube, and flexible means for holding said band in place.

5. A gaine-board of the kind described comprising a base, a wall on said base, a pneumatic tube secured to the inner face of the wall, an elastic band arranged along the side of the tube opposite the wall, and flexible means connecting the band and the wall.

6. A game-board of the kind described comprising a base portion, an angled wall arranged on said base, said wall being longitudinally grooved on its inner face, a pneumatic tube secured in said grooved portion, an elastic band stretched along the inner face of said wall and spaced from same by the tube, and flexible means for connecting the band to the wall at the angles, substantially as and for the purpose described.

JOHN WILLIAM ARNEY.

Witnesses:

SAM. J. GRIEFIs, GEORGE I-I. KELLY. 

